Consumer Watchdog Draws Attention to Google Privacy Problems with Satirical Videos and Mimes

Posted 09/19/2011 at 7:59am | by Paul Lilly

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It's all fun and games until a mime gets cold clocked for being obnoxious, and we'd be tempted ourselves to land a right hook if a street performer followed us around all day. Government workers will have to fight the urge as Google's Eric Schmidt heads to Washington to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee over Google's dominance in Web search. The non-profit consumer advocacy group known as the Consumer Watchdog has hired mimes to follow government workers around while wearing track suits that read "Google Track Team."

According to CNet, they'll also be brandishing pairs of cartoonish Wi-Spy glasses, but that's not all. The group is planning a series of shenanigans, all intended to educate and/or make people uncomfortable with the idea of being followed.

"If you do it on the Internet, though, you're Google," said Jamie Court, President of the Consumer Watchdog, according to CNet. "It's got to stop."

Consumer Watchdog has also released a series of animated videos, the latest one satirizing Google CEO Larry Page and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt. The new video is called "Supercharge" and is filled with real quotes as it shows the duo stalking a United States Senator through his Android mobile phone.

"If someone followed us around all day and took notes, they would be arrested for stalking," said John M. Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project. "Google tracks us all day and night online and through our mobile phones, doesn't take no for an answer, and gets wildly rich off its notes about us. The Senate's investigation into Google's information monopoly should explore not only the anticompetitive threat to business but the privacy threat to us all."

This is the third video in the series, which is preceded by "Don't Be Evil" and "Mr. Schmidt Goes To Washington."